Startup Comp for 10 Hours a Week Part-Time
I'm a SDE II at Microsoft right now and have received an offer to work for an UK based startup that currently has four people: the two cofounders and two C-suite level hires. Because I don't want to leave my current gig yet (want to finish current project + lock in bonus by staying till at least July 1, when it'll be guaranteed), I want to work part time for them on the side, around seven to twelve hours a week. They are very interested in bringing me on full time ASAP, and mentioned that for comp I could receive equity too... How should I ask for compensation? What's a reasonable hourly rate here? Can I get in trouble with Microsoft for working part time on the side? The business unit I am in within Microsoft is completely unrelated to mobile apps and Microsoft as a whole doesn't have any competitive business units with this app. But also, maybe there is a legal problem I'm missing... I just don't want to be in a position where the Big Tech Lawyers come to sue me later on. #equity #startup #compensation #salary #bigtech
Not sure why @HNIC says “you aren’t personally at risk”. Seems likely you gotta sign documents for each company that attest that you aren’t doing outside work. It depends on the specifics of the US state and/or the country. A lawyer who knew employment law in the relevant state / counties would know. Alas, lawyers can be expensive but the first call is usually free. The bigger risk is being fired if they find out out. If they want to sue you it will cost them a LOT like a couple hundred thousand… usually the kind of IP involved with an SDE II is not worth the legal bills (unless one does something superbly stupid and wrong like copying source code).
$150/hr seems reasonable for SDE II contract. you have no chance of getting in trouble but in WA msft owns all your IP regardless of business purpose or relevance. so your work would actually be for msft. leave it up to the uk company to figure out. you aren’t personally at risk